Danger of Injury to the Dentist in Roentgenography

Relative Hazards to Radiation Workers in Various Classes o Diagnostic X‐ray Procedures, with Special Reference to Ward and Theatre Radiography*

“…More severe injuries have also been reported in dentists who had been in the practice of regularly holding films in patients' mouths during X-ray exposures (e.g. Pfahler, 1939). The doses to the dentist's fingers in the primary beam were of the order of a few rads per exposure.…”

“…Such exposure occurs when, because of an unco-operative patient, correct positioning of an intra-oral film may be assured only hy its being held in position by the dentist during exposures. I t seems that while this may be done occasionally without untoward effects, regular holding ultimately results in severe injury (Pfahler, 1939). Possible exposure to the primary beam is inherent in dental radiography because dental X-ray machines are designed so that the dentist has considerable freedom in selecting the desired orientation of the primary beam with respect to the patient, and because the relatively short focus-skin distance common to dental X-ray machines produces a widely diverging beam.…”